Reversible wall panel



Dec. 26 B966 M. J. BLUME REVERSIBLE WALL PANEL Filed March 20, 1964INVENTOR.

MIC/ N541 J. Bil/ME United States Patent 3,293,632 REVERSIBLE WALL PANELMichael J. Blume, 15638 Stratford, Southfield, Mich. 48075 Filed Mar.20, 1964, Ser. No. 353,624 8 Claims. (Cl. 340-282) This inventionrelates to wall systems and more particularly has reference to a wallpanel for X-ray apparatus and the like adapted to pivot between a pairof adjoining rooms in order to provide access to the X-ray equipmentfrom either room.

In hospitals, X-ray clinics, dental offices, and the like, it is commonto have several rooms suitably equipped for X-ray exposure of patients.These rooms are often situated immediately adjacent one another. It isoften necessary in X-ray clinics and hospitals, to provide anindependent, complete X-ray system in each room since more than onepatient may be given X-ray treatment at the same time. Many dentistshave a pair of adjoining operatories between which they alternate duringthe course of a day. In order to take X-rays regardless of the room inwhich the patient happens to be disposed, it has been necessary to mounta separate X-ray unit in each room.

The actual period of exposure to the X-radiation, usually only a fewseconds, is a small part of the total time the patient spends in theroom where the X-ray is taken. In the dental operatory, for example, theX-rays may be taken in a few seconds or minutes while the patient mayspend an hour or more in the room receiving dental treatment. It isapparent, therefore, that while more than one room having access to theX-ray equipment may be necessary, a single X-ray unit might besufficient if it were available in each room for a little more than thefew seconds or minutes during which the exposure is made.

3,293,632 Patented Dec. 20, 1966 is rotated to bring the X-ray apparatusinto the room if it is not already there. The apparatus is then arrangedadjacent the portion of the patients body to be X--rayed, and theexposure completed. The entire time during which the apparatus isunavailable to the operator on the opposite side of the wall willordinarily be a matter of a few seconds or minutes.

The control console or panel which actuates the X-ray apparatus may belocated on the reversible wall panel or it may be situated externally onthat wall. For example, the control console may be located in a hallwayaccessible from both serviced rooms and having means for viewing thepatients in both rooms. One such floor plan will be subsequentlyillustrated and described in greater detail.

The present invention provides a substantial saving in cost since onlyhalf as many X-ray machines are necessary. The cost of providing anexisting wall with a reversible panel of this kind or of providing a newwall having such a feature, is very small in comparison to the cost of acomplete X-ray unit.

Although the greater portion of the present discussion is concerned withreversible panels for X-ray systems, it can be readily seen that thesame principle may be employed in various other situations whereapparatus is used periodically in each of two adjoining rooms. Forexample a dictating machine might be wall-mounted in this manner in anoffice so as to be pivotable between one room where the dictation isrecorded on the machine, and a second room where the recordedinformation is to be transcribed. This would permit a single machine tobe employed for both purposes, thereby saving the cost of a duplicatemachine or avoiding the inconvenience of carrying or The problem,therefore, is to provide an X-ray system i which can be readily andswiftly moved from one room to another. The only obvious solution tothis problem would be to mount the X-ray unit on a cart or other vehiclewhich could be wheeled from one room to another. However, this would beimpossible for many types of X-ray equipment and, in any case, wouldclearly be slow, inconvenient, and therefore unsatisfactory, where morethan one patient is brought into one of the rooms at about the sametime.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a solutionto this problem where a pair of such X-ray rooms or dental operatoriesare disposed adjacent one another and have a common wall or partition.The present solution is to rotate the portion of the common wall onwhich the X-ray unit is mounted until the unit is disposed in the roomwhere the unit is to be used. The wall section is rotated each time theunit is needed in the room opposite to the one in which it is disposedat the time.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention which will be subsequentlydescribed in detail, a dental X-ray unit is fixed on a rotatable wallpanel which is pivotable about a vertical axis. When the X-ray apparatusis in use, a switch is actuated which looks the panel against movement,and illuminates a small light on the rear side of the panel. This servesas a signal to the operator on that side of the panel that the dentalX-ray apparatus is being used. Suitable rubber padding is provided aboutthe periphery of the panel adapted to prevent noise from beingtransmitted from one room to the other through the small space betweenthe panel and the wall structure.

It can be seen that the present reversible wall system will notinterfere with the normal operations in each of the two serviced roomsnor increase the time required to obtain an X-ray exposure. In eachroom, the wall panel wheeling single machine back and forth.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be morereadily apparent from the following detailed description of a preferredembodiment thereof. The description makes reference to the drawing inwhich:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the wall including adental X-ray unit mounted on the reversible panel of the presentinvention, the panel being also shown in phantom rotated ninety degreesfrom its normal position;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevational view of the panel of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view of the panel taken along the lines3-3 in FIGURE 2 without the X-ray unit;

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view of the panel taken along the lines4-4 in FIGURE 2 without the X-ray unit;

FIGURE 5 is a floor plan of a suggested arrangement of the adjoiningrooms and the X-ray control console; and

FIGURE 6 is a schematic representation of a preferred electrical systemfor the apparatus of the present invention.

Referring to the drawing in detail, a pair of dental operatories areseparated by the common wall 10 shown in FIGURE 1. A panel 12,constructed in accordance with the present invention, is disposed in thewall 10 and includes a dental X-ray unit 14 mounted along one face.

The panel 12 includes an outer frame 16 and facing sheets 18 and 20 ofmetal, wood, plastic, or any other suitable material. The frame 16comprises vertical side channels 22 and 24, and horizontal upper andlower channels 26 and 28. The facing sheets 18 and 20 are permanentlyfixed to the opposite outer legs of the channels 22-28. A hollow shaft30 extends vertically through the panel and is welded in holes 32 and 34midway along the length of the lower and upper channels 28 and 26. Thethickness of the panel is less than that of the wall 10.

The panel 12 includes a pair of substantially aligned openings 35 and 37in the facing sheets 18 and 20. A

.the panel described above. The wall is prepared by first removingenough of the plaster walls or dry wall and studs to provide an opening45 slightly larger than the panel to be inserted. A beam 46, such as a 2x 4, is placed between the lower ends of the existing plaster walls ordry wall 48 with its lower face flush with the ends of the walls 48. Thebeam 46 extends between the existing studs in the wall. against the beam46 and the ends of the walls '48 by means of a pair of angles 52 whichare suitably bolted at 54 to the dry wall. The beam 46 includes avertical hole 56 along part of which a short section of metal tubing 58is adapted to receive interiorly the upper projecting end of the hollowshaft 30; the shaft 30 is then free to rotate within the tubing.Alternatively, a ball bearing or other suitable bearing could beprovided in place of the tubing 58.

At the lower end of the opening 45 is wall 10, a beam 60 is similarlymounted between the edges of the existing dry Wall 62 with a plate 64,angles 66, and tubing 68'. The latter members are disposed in the wallin the same manner as members 5058 at the upper end of the open- Ahorizontal plate 50 is retained ing 45. The tubing 68 receives the lowerprojecting end 5 of the shaft 30.

In this manner, the entire panel 12 is free to rot-ate about a verticalaxis passing through the hollow shaft 30.

As shown in FIGURE 4, a beam 70 is provided between a pair of anglemembers 72 along one vertical side of the opening 45 in the wall 10.Small bolts or nails 74 fix the beam 70 in place between the anglemembers 72. If the opening 45 in the wall is adjacent an existing stud,the stud will replace the beam 70. A small bore 76 having a small metalsocket 78 therein is provided along the beam 70 to accommodate the rod42 of the solenoid 40.

The opposite vertical side of the opening 45 is identical to that justdescribed, having a beam 80 mounted between the dry wall with nails 84and provided with a bore 86 fitted with a socket 88. This latter socketaccommodates the solenoid rod 42 when the panel is reversed with thechannel 22 adjacent the beam 80.

The panel 12 is mounted in the opening 45 as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4.Self-lubricating thrust and guide bearings 90 and 92 are providedrespectively along the shafts and 32 between the channels 28 and 26 andthe plates 64 and 50. This permits the entire panel 12 to easily rotateabout the vertical axis extending through the shaft 30. g Y Stops 94 and96 extend along each of'the vertical beams 70 and 80 and are eachcovered with a layer 98 of rubber, plastic, or similar resilientmaterial. The stops serve to limit the rotational movement of the panel12 to 180 degrees. The angle member 43 abuts the stop 94 when the panelis positioned with the channel 24 disposed adjacent the beam 80, andabuts the stop 96 when the panel is rotated 180 degrees so that thechannel 24 is adjacent the beam 70.

The dental X-ray unit 14 is mounted on the face 20 of the panel 12 withsuitable brackets (not shown). A flexible power supply cable 100 for theX-ray unit 14 extends upwardly through the hollow shaft 30 and as canbestbe seen in FIGS. -3 and 6, is electrically connected in series tothe lamp 36 and outlet 39 through the openings and 37 in the sheets 18and 20, and

through corresponding openings 102 and 104 inthe shaft 30. Additionalseries circuitry connects the cable to the solenoid 40. The X-ray unitcontrol 116 including a switch 117 is also connected in series with theoutlet 39 so that closing the actuating switch 117 of the X-ray unitcontrol 116 permits current to flow through the lamp 36, solenoid 40,and X-ray unit 14. When the solenoid40 is thus actuated, the rod 42 isadvanced into the adjacent socket 78 or 88. The lamp 36 is illuminatedby this current flow, thereby indicating to the operator at the rearside 18 of the panel that the X-ray unit is being used.

In operation, the dentist or operator rotates the panel 12, ifnecessary, to position the X-ray unit 14 in the room in which thepatient is seated. The X-ray unit control is actuated, thereby lockingthe solenoid rod 42 in place in the adjacent socket 78 or 88, andilluminating the lamp 36 on the opposite side of the panel 12. This willserve as a Warning tothe operator or dentist in the adjoining room thatthe X-ray unit is being used at that moment. Even if he shouldinadvertently fail to notice the lamp, the solenoid rod 42 will preventrotation of the panel 12.

After the exposureis completed, the X-ray unit control switch 117 isagain opened. thereby unlocking the rod 42 and turning off the lamp 36.The operator in the adjoining room can then rotate the panel 180 degreest bring the X-ray unit 14 into that room.

Since the exposure time is ordinarily very short, the panel will belocked against rotation only for a very brief period. This means theoperator in the adjoining room need wait only for a few seconds orminutes, if at all.

FIGURE 5 shows a fioor plan illustrating a suggested layout for a pairof adjoining operatories 106 and 108 serviced by the present invention.The rotatable panel 12 and its dental X-ray unit 14 are mounted in thecommon wall 10. Each room includes a door 110 and 112 which permitsaccess to a hall 114 which extends past both rooms.

The X-ray unit control 116 is located in the hall 114 in alignment withthe wall 10. A pair of windows or openings 118 and 120 are provided inthe wall 122 intermediate the doors 110 and 112 and permit the operatorof the control 116 to observe the interior of either of the rooms 106 or108. This permits the operator in either of the rooms 106 or 108 toactuate the X-ray unit from a safe distance while observing the patient.If desired, the control 116 may be located in such a manner that theoperator can observe the patient in each room through the two doorways.

- X-ray equipment generally comprises a wall mounted section, and a headdisposed at the end of an extension arm which may be adjusted toproperly place the head adjacent the patient. In such a case, thereversible panel need only be as large as the unit with the head and armin retracted position against the mounted section. If necessary,suitable means might be provided for preventing the electrical circuitin the panel or the solenoid 40 from being deactuated while the X-rayunit is in an extended position.

If desirable, a suitable lead lining may be provided through the wall10, panel 12, and along the stops 94 and 96. This would effectivelyprevent any radiation from passing through any portion of the finishedwall.

It can be seen from the above description that the panel 12 can beeasily fabricated as a unit using large scale production techniques..The opening in the existing or newly constructed wall, along with itsassorted structural members, may be provided at a very low cost. Oncethe wall 10 has been prepared in this manner, the factoryconstructedpanel can be installed in a few minutes. It is understood that thevarious architectural and structural components shown in the drawingmany be changed or modified as required.

Although the present invention has been described as providing a methodof gaining access to a wall-mounted Xray unit from either of twoadjoining rooms, it can be seen that the same panel structure could beused to provide access in a similar manner to any wall-mountedapparatus. The dimensions of the panel must be greater than those of theapparatus to permit the apparatus to clear the sides of the opening inthe wall as the panel is pivoted. The apparatus may be capable of beingretracted to a relatively compact condition when not in use as describedabove with respect to conventional X-ray equipment, thereby permitting asmall panel to be used.

If desired, the panel 12 may be reversed automatically rather thanmanually. This could easily be accomplished by providing a power sourcesuch as a motor, and suitable connecting means for rotating shaft 30.

To reduce the noise transmitted from one of the adjoining rooms to theother through the space between the panel and the wall 10, flexibleand/or rigid types of seals can be provided. In the present preferredembodiment of the invention, this takes the form of thick soft rubberpadding 114 mounted around thebearings 90 and 92. The padding 114 may bethick enough to be normally compressed between the sides of the paneland the adjacent wall structure.

The panel 12 shown in the drawings may be provided with suitable trim ordecoration as desired in order to improve the appearance of the entirewall. Similarly, any type of finish may be applied to the panel 12. Ifthe apparatus mounted on the wall has considerable weight, the panel maybe provided with additional structural reinforcing and larger thrust andguide bearings.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art to which this inventionpertains, that various changes or modifications in the construction ofthe component parts may be made without departing from the spirit of theinvention, or from the scope of the appended claims:

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A system for providing access to X-ray apparatus from either of twoadjoining rooms, comprising (a) a panel disposed in an opening in thecommon wall between said rooms and an X-ray apparatus mounted to saidpanel,

(b) means for reversing said panel with respect to said wall so as tovary said X-ray apparatus between two positions, each position exposingsaid X-ray apparatus to a difiFerent one of said two rooms,

(c) means for electrically actuating said X-ray apparatus and meanselectrically connected with said actuating means and operable to locksaid panel to said wall and against rotation in response to energizationof said actuating means whereby to lock said X-ray apparatus in one ofsaid two rooms during use.

2. The system as defined in claim 1 and including indicating meanselectrically connected with said actuating means and operable to providean indication in the opposite room when the X-ray unit is in use in oneof the rooms.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said panel comprises anouter frame, and facing sheets fixed to opposite sides of said frame,said apparatus being mounted on one of said facing sheets.

4. The system as defined in claim 1 and in which said reversing meanscomprises,

(a) means for supporting said panel pivotably in said wall about avertical axis in the plane of said panel, and

(b) said supporting means including bearing means along said verticalaxis between said panel and said Wall.

5. The structure set forth in claim 4 and including a power cable forsaid X-ray apparatus extending along said vertical axis and through saidbearing means.

6. A system for providing access to a piece of apparatus from either oftwo adjoining rooms comprising (a) a panel disposed in an opening in thecommon wall between said rooms and an apparatus mounted to said panel,

(b) means for reversing said panel with respect to said wall so as tovary said apparatus between two positions, each position exposing saidapparatus to a difierent one of said two rooms,

(0) means electrically actuating said apparatus and means electricallyconnected with said actuating means and operable to lock said pane-1 tosaid wall and against rotation in response to energizati-on of saidactuating means whereby to lock said apparatus in one of said two roomsduring use.

7. The system as defined in claim 6 and including indicating meanselectrically connected with said actuating means and operable to providean indication in the opposite room When the apparatus is in use in oneof the rooms.

8. A system for providing access to X-ray apparatus from either of twoadjoining rooms, comprising (a) a panel disposed in an opening in thecommon wall between said rooms and an X-ray apparatus mounted to saidpanel,

(b) means for reversing said panel with respect to said wall so as tovary said X-ray apparatus between two positions, each position exposingsaid X-ray apparatus to a different one of said two rooms,

(0) means for electrically actuating said X-ray apparatus and indicatingmeans electrically connected with said actuating means and operable toprovide an indication in the opposite room when the X-ray unit is in usein one of the rooms.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 825,840 7/1906James 5232 854,171 5/1907 Merrill 52-32 2,019,362 10/1935 Schwitzer250-92 X NEIL C. READ, Primary Examiner. R. M. GOLDMAN, AssistantExaminer,

1. A SYSTEM FOR PROVIDING ACCESS TO X-RAY APPARATUS FROM EITHER OF TWOADJOINING ROOMS, COMPRISING (A) A PANEL DISPOSED IN AN OPENING IN THECOMMON WALL BETWEEN SAID ROOMS AND AN X-RAY APPARATUS MOUNTED TO SAIDPANEL, (B) MEANS FOR REVERSING SAID PANEL WITH RESPECT TO SAID WALL SOAS TO VARY SAID X-RAY APPARATUS BETWEEN TWO POSITIONS, EACH POSITIONEXPOSING SAID X-RAY APPARATUS TO A DIFFERENT ONE OF SAID TWO ROOMS, (C)MEANS FOR ELECTRICALLY ACTUATING SAID X-RAY APPARATUS AND MEANSELECTRICALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID ACTUATING MEANS AND OPERABLE TO LOCKSAID PANEL TO SAID WALL AND AGAINST ROTATION IN RESPONSE TO ENERGIZATIONOF SAID ACTUATING MEANS WHEREBY TO LOCK SAID X-RAY APPARATIUS IN ONE OFSAID TWO ROOMS DURING USE.